Electrolytic apparatus.



J. B. BURDETT,

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED OCT. 29' 1912.

Patent-ed Sept. 21, 1915.

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ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

Arms/mow man 0cT.29, 1912. llfi ifl l PatentedSept. 21, 1915.

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JOHN B. BURDETT, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DAvIs-BoURNoNvILLE oom- PANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., AND c IoAeo, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ELECTROLYTIC AP PARATU S.

@ Specification of Letters Patent. .Patented Sgpt, 2L

Application filed October 29, 1912. Serial No. 728,387.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that 1, JOHN B BURDETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chlcago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Electrolytic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrolytic ap lytic apparatus of the nature referred to wherein efiicient separation of the oxygen and hydrogen is maihtained.

A further object is to provide means for automatically replenishing the supply of electrolytic or fluid to be decomposed.

A further object is to provide means for insuring the safety of operation of electrolytic' apparatus of the nature referred to, with the least possible amount of complication.

()thcr objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, location and relative arrangel ment of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, .as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the various views and reference signs appearing thereon :F igure 1 is a view. partly in front elevation and parts broken out and in vertical section showing a construction of electrolytic apparatus embodyilig the principles of my invention. Fig. 2

reference sign wherever it occurs through out the several views. I

In the construction shown as an embodiment of the principles of my invention, the electrolytlc cell comprises essentially a tankor vessel 6 and a top or cover 7therefor and applied thereto or to the open end thereof, preferably in as tight relation but electrically insulated therefrom. Simple means for accomplishing this is shown wherein the open mouth or end of the vessel .6 is provided with flanges 8 through which and cooperating flanges 9' in the edge of the cover 7 suitable insulated securing bolts" 10 operate to clamp securely the cover 7' down upon the rim of the mouth or opening of the vessel 6, preferably, a suitable packing ring 11 1s interposed between the cover 7 and the encompassing rim of the vessel mouth.

Suitably sustained within the vessel 6, and.

from the cover 7 is the electrode member 12 preferably metallic and suitably perforated through the walls and bottom thereof as indicated at 18. In practice and in order to afford means for adjusting the position of the member 12 within the vessel 6, I prefer to employ adjustable suspending devices. therefor. Thus, in the form shown, one end of the member 12, is suspended froma rod 14 from the cover 7, while the other end of said member 12 is suspended by. means of the adjusting bolts 15 by means of which accurate adjustments of the position of the member 12 may be accomplished by means of the adjusting nuts 16 carried upon-the ends of the supporting screw bolts 15, which bolts extend through the cover 7, as shown. This is a desirable feature for the reason that it is importantto so adjust the electrode mom.- ber 12 within the vessel 6 that the opposed surfaces of said member and vessel may lie' in substantial parallelism with each other throughout. This is particularly true where the vessel 6 is also metallic and the said vessel, and member 12 constitute respectively the terminals or electrodes in the circuit of. the source of current employed for eflect-f; ing the electrolytic decomposition of the electrolyte. V member 12 would be in closer proximity tothe surface of vessel 6 than some other part thereof and consequently, the decomposing action, that is, the evolution of gas would be greater at one point than at another in the apparatus, thereby increasing the danger of commingling oflthe ases. 4

' interposed between t a opposed surfaces For, otherwise, one part of the Wall surface of the vessel 6. The cover 7' is.

provided with a single ringshaped depending flange 18, upon the underside surface thereof, which extends down'into the vessel 6 and encompasses the upper end of the-- electrode member 12. This flange 18 affords a convenient support for the porous diaphragm or curtain 17, said curtain at its upper end being telescoped over the flange 18, as shown and-secured thereto in any 'suitable or convenient manner, as, for 1nstance,- by means of a securing band 19 or otherwise,

as may be desired. In operation the cover flange 18 extends into the vessel 6 to a sufficient extent forthe lower edge thereof'to be below the normal level of the'electrolyte or'liquid'to be decomposed, as indicated at P 20, thereby forming two separated chambers in the upper part of the vessel 6, one indicated at 21 between the -flange'18 and the vessel 6 and the other 22 inside of said fiauge and above the electrode member 12. The porous curtain l7 continues the separation of the electrode 12 from the vessel 6 below said flange 18. Where the vessel 6 and the. electrode member 1-2 constitute' respectively the circuit terminals, the electrolyte is decomposed by electrolytic. action which takes place with a resultant evolution of gases at the surfacesof said electrodes, oxygen being given ed at the-circuit ofthe positive electrode and hydrogen gas being I 4 mally increased pressure occurs and a cone 105 given. of]? at the surface of the negative elec-' trode. These gases-are given off in the form of bubbles which form on the surfaces of the electrodes and these bubbles of gas rise through the electrolyte and collect respec tively in the chambers 21, 22, being prevented from inter-mingling while passing through. the electrolyte by the porous diaphragm or curtain 17 Communicating respectively with the chambers 21, 22 are the pipe connections .23, 24; which deliver into the lanterns 25, 26 which in the ordinary manner indicate the operation of the apparatus, and from which service delivery pipes 27, 28 deliver. In the arrangements shown the pipe .connections 23, 2tdeliver through the bottoms of the lanterns 25 and intoa pi'pe connection 29, see Fig. 5, which extends upwardly into.a pipe connection 30, carried bythe top'or cover 31 of the lantern and depending downwardly therefrom into the lantern with the lower open end thereof immersed below the level of the fluid in the lantern, as indicated at 32 The pipe 29 extends into the pipe 30 through the open end thereof and the upper in delivered through the delivery pipes 23, 2 1,

valve 36 raised from its seat 35.

end of said pipe connection 29 is perforated as indicated at 33. The fluid contained in the lanterns 25 maybe water or other suitable llquid or substance capable of absorbany alkalifie spray carried by the gas respectively. A five per cent; solution of tartaric acid might well answer this purpose. The upper-ends ofthe depending pipes 30 bein closed, it will be understood that the gas elivered into the pipe'30, through the perforations 33 of pipe, 29 from the gas collecting chambers, respectively, within the vessel 6, will be forced downwardly through the liquid contained in the lanterns, when the pressure of such gasas collected becomes sufficiently great, the gas passing throughthe lower open end pipe 30, and

then bubblingaup through the-liquid containedin the lantern and collecting in the upper portion of the lantern and passing therefrom through delivery pipe27, 28' to a gasometer storage tank or other service. connection. By making-the lantern bodies 25, 26 of transparentmaterial, such, .for instance, as glass', the condition of the cell while in operation as indicated by the hubbling of the as through the liquid contained in the danterns will at once he revealed. In order to equalize any differences of pressure of the two evolved gases, namely,

oxygen and hydrogen, in the instance above described, I propose to connect the bottoms 'o-f'th'e-two lanterns 25, 26 by a pipe connec tion 34, so that any abnormal difference in press'uresof the oxygen and hydrogen within one or the otherof the lanterns will cause i a corresponding lowering of the level of 'the liquid in the antern in which the abn'orsponding rise in level-of the liquid in the-v other lantern, the difference in the liquid levels being thus utilized to equalize the pressures of the two gases. It is important, however, to prevent the possibility of an ad- 1 0 mixture'of the two gases through the communication between the lanterns, in case an undue increase of pressure in the one or the other of the lanterns should take place sufficient to uncover the point of c'ommunication of the pipe connection 34 with such lantern. To prevent this I propose to employ an automatic valve in the pipe connection 34: and preferably at each end thereof where it communicates with the lanterns. In the particular form shown as exemplifying this feature of my invention, I provide pipe connection 34 at each end thereof where it communicates with the lanterns with a valve seat 35 with which cooperates'a ball valve 36 carried by a float 37, the buoyancy of which normally operates to maintain'the 1V hen, howeverythe liquid level within the lantern falls to a sufiicient degree for the buoyancy of the float 37 to be overcome, the ball valve 36 becomes seated thereby closing the communication between the lanterns and .pre-- venting the possibility of the passage of gas collected in said lanterns through the connection 3 l'to the other lanterns.

It is important to maintain an automatic delivery of electrolyte to the vessel 6, and to control such supply automatically by variations in the level of the liquid contained in the vessel. This is important forthe reason that by maintaining a substantially constant level of the electrolyte in the vessel 6, the apparatus is rendered more safe and the danger of the generated gases becoming mixed with each other and forming an explosi e mixture is reduced. I have shown a simplearrangement for accomplishing this result-wherein a supply connection 38 comfmunieates with the interior of the vessel 6 through the side wall thereof and preferably .ear the top of the vessel.

The outer end of the supply pipe connection 38 is upturned and enlarged as indicated at 39 to form a funnel for the introduction of the electrolyte of theinterior of the vessel 6, the mouthof the upturned end portion 39 be ing. flanged to form a seat 40 to receive the shouldered neck portion of a bottle or carboy' 41 adapted to be supported therein in inverted position, the neck portion 42 of the bottle depending into the upturned end 39 of the supply connection to a point somewhat below the normal level 20 of the electrolyte'to be maintained within the vessel 6, The delivery end 43 of. supply connection 38 should also be below the normal level of the electrolyte Within the vessel 6. With this construction and arrangement it will be seen that by unstoppering the bottle 41 and placing it in inverted position upon the upturned end 39, with its neck d2 extending into the supply connection to a point below the normal level of the electrolyte within the vessel 6, the bottle will be sealed by the electrolyte against supply of the contents of the bottle in'to vessel 6 as long as the level of the electrolyte is not maintained at a sufficient height to close the mouth of the bottle neck. Should, however, through inattention or otherwise, the level of the electrolyte within vessel 6 fall sufiiciently to uncover the mouth of the bottle, the seal thereof will be broken and the contents of the bottle will flow through the supply connection 38 into the vessel 6 to return or restore and to maintain the proper level of the electrolyte within the vessel.

Another safety feature of my invention designed to prevent an undue interruption of the action of the cell through an undue building up of pressure of the'gases within the vessel 6 is also provided and so arranged that when the level of the electrolyte be comes lowered to an undesirable extent from &

cape th'erethrough and through the c'onnection 38 to the outer air without commingling with the gas contained in chamber 22.

Similarlv and for a similar safety purpose I provide an escape pipe 4:4: and arrange the same to extend through the cover 7, the inner end of said pipe extending downwardly into the vessel 6 and preferably into the interior of the electrode member 12, said pipe connection being perforated as indicated at 45, at or adjacent its lower end, said perforated end depending to a desirable depth into the electrolyte which normally seals said escapepipe it against escape of gas therethrough. Should, however, the level. of the electrolyte fall to a point below the perforations I5, from any cause, then the gas collected in chamber 22 will find ready escape through the escape pipe 44 to the outer airwithout mixing with the gas cdntained -in chamber 21.. In order to still further insure a separation of the evolved gases and to maintain said gasesseparated without danger of becoming mixed or commingled within the cell, and particularly those gases evolved from the bottom wall 46 of the vessel 6, I propose to arrange a baffie member 4.? in the bottom of the vessel 6, constructed of suitable nonconducting material and preferably dish shaped with open peripheral supports or flanges 48, (see Fig. 2 from the surface of the bottom wall 46 instead of passing directly upwardly. there fromand toward and against the bottoms of the curtain or diaphragm 17 and electrode member 12, said gases are deflected radially and toward the vertical side walls of vessel 6, thereby insuring separation thereof from the gas evolved from the surface of electrode member 12.

It will be observed that the upper end of the diaphragm 17 extends above the upper edge of the inner electrode member 12 ant that the flange 18 of the cover depends into the vessel 6 to a point below the upper. edge of the inner electrode. This arrangement increases the safety of the apparatus and aids in preventing intermingling of the gases.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and a construction embodying the principles thereof, what I claim Withthis arrangement any gas evolved as new and useful and of my own invention, 7

and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an electrolytic apparatus, electrodes arranged one inside the other, a porous dia: phragm interposedbetween said electrodes,

a supply pipe connection extending through the wall of the outer electrode and means below to be sealed by the normal level of electrolyte Within the electrode.

3. In an electrolytic apparatus, an-inner and an outer electrode, a porous diaphragm interposed therebetween, and a supply connection extending through the side Wall of the outer electrode, and a supply pipe extending into said connection and having its delivery mouth below the normal level of electrolyte contained in said electrode.

at. In an'electrolytic apparatus, electrodes arranged one inside the other, a porous diaphragm interposed therebetween, a cover for the outer electrode having a depending flange said porous diaphragm being attached to and supported by said depending flange, said flange depending intothe outer electrode and forming separated chambers in the'upper end of said electrode, and a safety outlet pipe extending through the said cover and having its inner end immersed in the electrolyte when standing at normaldevel.

5. In .an electrolytic apparatus, electrodes arranged one inside the other, a cover for the outer electrode, said coverhaving a depending flange extending into said electrode to a point intermediate the electrodes to form separated chambers in the upper end. of said outer electrode, a porous diaphragm interposed between the electrodes, said diaphragm being attached to and supported by said flange, said diaphragm extending above the upper edge of the inner electrode.

6; In an electrolytic apparatus, electrodes arranged the one inside the other, a cover for. the outer electrode, said cover having a depending flange extending into the outer electrode and between it and the inner elec trode and forming separated chambers in the upper part of the outer electrode, a porous diaphragm interposed between the electrodes, said diaphragm being attached to and carried by said flange and a safety exhaust pipe extending through the cover and having its inner end depending beneath the I each. chamber, said lanterns being in communication with each other and means for automatically controlling said communication.

8. In an electrolytic apparatus, electrodes arranged the one inside the other, a porous diaphragm interposed therebetween, means to form separated chambers, said chambers .being respectively associated with said electrodes, a lantern communicating with each chamber, a pipe communicating between said chambers, and an automatic valve arranged in said pipe.

9. In an electrolytic apparatus, electrodes arranged the one inside the other, a porous diaphragm interposed therebetween, means to form separated chambers, said chambers respectively associated with said electrodes, a lantern communicating with each chamher, a pipe connecting said lanterns, a float arranged in said pipe and a valve carried by said float and controlling the communication from each lantern to said pipe.

10. In an electrolytic apparatus, electrodes arranged the one inside the other, a porous diaphragm interposed between said electrodes,,means to form separated chambers, said chambers respectively associated with said electrodes, a lantern for each of said chambers, a pipe delivering from each chamher through the bottom of its associated lan:

by each cover and depending into its associated lantern, the depending endof sald I tern, a'cover for each lantern, a-pipe carried pipe being open, the pipe connection from the chamber extending into said open end,

and a delivery pipe from each lantern.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand .in the presence of the subscribing witnesses, on this 11th day of October A. D., v 

